1. Knowledge Organiser – Topic One: Medieval Medicine 1250-1500
Medieval Britain 1
Medieval Britain is the period between also known as the 13th-16th century or the Middle Ages.
Key events 2
1123 Britain’s first hospital, St Bartholomew’s was set up in London 3
1350 Average life expectancy is 35 years of age 4
The Black Death kills 1/3 of England’s population 5
1388 Parliament passes the first law requiring streets and rivers to be kept clean by the people
Key Concepts 6
The Medieval Church –The official religion of medieval Britain was Roman Catholic. Daily life and power was dominated by the Church, they controlled education and many people feared God. 7
The Four Humours. First suggested by Greek doctor Hippocrates. Black Bile, Yellow Bile, Blood and Phlegm. These humours linked to elements and seasons. Hippocrates believed that if these humours became unbalanced you would get ill. To get better, you needed to balance them. Galen, a Greek doctor working in Rome continued the theory and added his own ideas. His ‘Theory of Opposites’ to heal illness suggested using hot to cure cold. 8
Medieval Power The emphasis in Medieval Britain was on authority. The King had total power, but the Church had considerable control. People followed authority and would not question the views of King/Church as it would mean risking their lives.
Key Words 9
Superstition
A belief, not based on knowledge, but on the supernatural. For example witchcraft or astrology 10
Purging
To rid the body of an ‘excess’ like blood or vomit 11
Leeching
The use of leeches for bloodletting 12
Cupping
Using glass cups to draw blood to the surface 13
Fasting
To avoid eating or drinking 14
Pilgrimage
A journey to a religious shrine and relics to show your love of God and to cure an illness 15
Mass
Public worship in the Roman Catholic Church 16
Astrology
Study of the planets and their effect on humans 17
Miasma
Bad air which was blamed for spreading disease 18
Apothecary
A medieval pharmacist or chemist 19
Wise Woman
A female healer, who used folk medicine and herbal remedies to cure illnesses. 20
Vademecum
A medieval medical book carried by doctors 21
Urine Chart
Used to examine urine to define an illness 22
Physician
A male medically trained doctor 23
Barber Surgeon
Untrained surgeon, who practiced basic surgery 24
Dissection
To cut open a human and examine the insides 25
Epidemic
A widespread outbreak of a disease 26
Trepanning
Cutting a hole in the skull 27
Amulet
A charm that bought protection from disease 28
Black Death
A term to describe the bubonic plague 29
Monastery
A building where monks live, eat and pray

2. Knowledge Organiser – Topic Two: The Medical Renaissance in England, 1500-1700
Renaissance England 1
The Renaissance was the period between in England. Art and Science were growing in importance.
Key events 2
1543 – Vesalius published The Fabric of the Human Body. It showed how the human body worked. 3
1565 – the first dissection was carried out in Cambridge 4
1628 Harvey published his book An Anatomical Account of the Motion of the Heart and Blood which showed blood moving around the body 5
1645 – The first meeting of the Royal Society 6
1665 The Great Plague in London. 75,000 died
Key Concepts 7
The King – Despite some scientific developments, people still believed that the King could cure diseases such as scrofula (a skin disease). Being touched by the King was as close as you could get to being touched by God. 8
Renaissance – this was a time of change (re-birth) when people became interested in all things Greek and Roman. Printing was developed so that books could be published (e.g. Galen, Vesalius). People realised the Greeks had loved enquiry – asking questions and challenging old ideas. They started to do the same – e.g challenging Galen’s theories 9
Evidence – rather than believing & accepting old ideas (e.g. The Four Humours) without question, scientists and doctors were more willing to experiment (e.g. dissecting bodies) to make scientific discoveries. People started to look to evidence over tradition.
Key Words 10
Continuity
Things or ideas that stayed the same over time 11
London Treacle
A medicine that was solve to cure the Plague. It contained herbs, spices, honey and opium 12
Autopsy
Dissecting a body after someone has died to establish cause of death 13
Diagnosing
Finding out what disease someone has by e.g. taking their pulse and observing the patient 14
Royal Society
A group of people interested in science who met weekly. They had a laboratory with microscopes. King Charles II was a patron. 15
Anatomy
The study of the human body and how it works 16
Physiology
The workings of the body 17
Microscope
A new invention that allowed things to be magnified 18
Thermometer
A new invention that allowed someone’s temperature to be taken 19
Mortality Bill
A document in each parish which recorded who had died and what had killed them. 20
Pesthouse
A hospital for people suffering from infectious diseases, e.g the Plague. 21
Printing
The process of creating a book. This was developed during the Renaissance

3. Knowledge Organiser – Topic Three: Medicine in 18th and 19th century Britain
This was a time of breakthroughs in medicine in England. There were many scientific discoveries but also many Public Health problems.
Key events 2
1798 – Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine for Smallpox 3
1847 – James Simpson developed chloroform as an anaesthetic 4
1854 – John Snow’s maps proved the source of cholera 5
1861 – Louis Pasteur’s germ theory was published 6
Lister used antiseptic to prevent infection 7
1875 – The Public Health Act. Local councils had to provide sewers, drainage and fresh water as well as medical officers 8
1882 Robert Koch identified bacteria that caused specific diseases
Key Concepts 9
Nursing – Nurses are responsible for the care of patients in hospital. Before 1800, hospitals were dangerous places where death was very likely. The development of nursing changed that. 10
Breakthrough – a scientific discovery that dramatically alters the way people understood disease – e.g. the discovery of bacteria. This then helps the problem to be solved. 11
Public Health – when the government takes measures to prevent diseases spreading and to help the population become healthier. The government increasingly took on this role after the development of germ theory
Key Words 12
Vaccine
The injection into the body of killed or weakened organisms to give the body resistance against disease 13
Smallpox
A dangerous disease causing fever that was beaten by vaccination 14
Anaesthetic
Drugs given to make someone unconscious before or after surgery 15
Infection
The formation of disease causing germs 16
Cholera
A bacterial infection caused by drinking water 17
Germ Theory
The theory that germs cause disease 18
Antiseptic
Chemicals used to destroy bacteria and prevent infection 19
Medical Officer
A person appointed to look after the public health of an area 20
Contagion
The passing of disease from one person to another 21
Epidemic
A widespread outbreak of a disease 22
Sanitation
Providing disposal of human waste and dispensing clean water to improve public health 23
Workhouses
Accommodation for poor people who could not afford to pay for rent and food. 24
Dispensary
A place where medicines are given out 25
Voluntary hospital
Hospitals supported by charitable donations 26
Chloroform
A liquid whose vapour acts as an anaesthetic and produces unconsciousness 27
Industrial Revolution
A period of British history when industries (e.g. coal, steel) transformed society

4. Knowledge Organiser – Topic Four: Medicine in modern Britain, 1900-Present
From 1900-Present, there have been massive changes in medicine and treatment
Key events 2
1900 – life expectancy was still below 50 years of age 3
1911 – National Insurance Bill introduced – gave help if workers were sick or unemployed 4
World War One leads to developments in surgery and treatment 5
1928 – Fleming discovered penicillin 6
1938 – Florey and Chain developed use of penicillin 7
1948 – The NHS begins following the Beveridge report (1942) 8
1953 – Crick and Watson discovered the structure of DNA
Key Concepts 9
War – World War One and World War Two forced developments in treatment and surgery – e.g. plastic surgery and the use of antibiotics in WW2. 10
Technology – huge improvements in technology greatly improved the understanding and treatment of disease – e.g. X-ray, DNA, Pacemakers, dialysis and keyhole surgery 11
National Health Service - After WW2, the government introduced the NHS in This offered free healthcare at the point of delivery. The expansion of who could vote and the shared experience of suffering in WW2 bought about this development.
Key Words 12
X-Ray
Technology using particular light rays . Used in WW1 to locate bullets in the body. 13
Transplant
When a faulty or damaged organ (e.g. liver) is swapped with a healthy one through surgery 14
Radiotheraphy /Chemotherapy
Treatment of a disease, such as cancer, by the use of chemicals 15
Superbugs
Bacteria that are not affected/destroyed by antibiotics or cleaning 16
Gene therapy
Medical treatment using normal genes to replace defective ones. 17
Dialysis
Technology that replicates the function of the kidneys 18
Polio
A contagious disease that can cause paralysis and death 19
Penicillin
The first antibiotic drug produced from the mould of penicillin to treat infections 20
Pacemaker
Implanted technology that regulates heartbeat 21
Antibiotics
A drug made from bacteria that kill other bacteria and so cure an infection or illness 22
Magic bullets
A chemical that kills a particular bacteria and nothing else 23
Electron microscope
Developed Allows doctors to see cells in fine detail. 24
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that genes are made of 25
Cancer
A group of related diseases. Cells divide and spread into the surrounding tissue.